I just started shootings pins again after a 35 year break.

I am curious as what to use as a factory load. Most of the guys are shooting 1911 pistols. Some with ported long slides. Some of them roll their own ammo. Like 255 gr SWC bullets.

I have an option to shoot a 1911 or a .357 Sig with 125 gr bullets.

In the .45 ACP version, is it better to use a 230 gr or a 185 +p or 200 +p gr bullet. Faster, lighter vs slow and heavy?

All of this assuming that I hit the pins!

Thanks in advance,
Mike

I think the heavier bullets in .45 auto are best. Ever heard of pin grabbers ? If you can still find them. Other wise, a flat nose pill is best.

Thanks. In the last match a guy hit the #1 pin in the 3:00 and it just spun around and didn’t fall. I thought the pin was going back in time!

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
I think the heavier bullets in .45 auto are best. Ever heard of pin grabbers ? If you can still find them. Other wise, a flat nose pill is best.

44 Mag, 240 Gr. Sierra JHP, heavy load of 2400. If you don't want to split them in two, just decrease the charge. That was my load in the mid 70s for bowling pins at 50 yds. There's probably a better, more modern load these days.

But I doubt it.

On a more serious note, I agree with the heavier bullet and flatter meplat theory. You want to grab them with a big ass flat nose, and mow them down with more MO. An analogy might be hitting the pins with a cast iron skillet.

In the 80,s, I was shooting a 41 magnum revolver.
I was destroying the pins. But the fatigue of the recoil got to me.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:
44 Mag, 240 Gr. Sierra JHP, heavy load of 2400. If you don't want to split them in two, just decrease the charge. That was my load in the mid 70s for bowling pins at 50 yds. There's probably a better, more modern load these days.

But I doubt it.

On a more serious note, I agree with the heavier bullet and flatter meplat theory. You want to grab them with a big ass flat nose, and mow them down with more MO. An analogy might be hitting the pins with a cast iron skillet.

True. These days I would use 45 for bowling pin shooting. Must be a shit ton of pure unadulterated fun.

I think I’ll try these.

https://www.sgammo.com/product...rbon-ammo-dpx4518520

Back when I was shooting pin competitions I was loading the 45 Speer 200 gr. HP (the flying ashtray) at 900 fps. The large cavity would bite into the pin and the expansion would transfer energy to the pin to take it off the table. The sweet spot was a center hit right below the belly to take it up and back. Hot loads with heavy bullets generate more recoil and slower times. They can also blow through the pin, leaving it laying on it's side on the table. It's a balance of enough power that can be shot quickly and accurately. A 45 ACP 1911 is just about the perfect tool for the job.

Phoenix had a pin club ,
but clear back in the 1900's
The one I looked into was using revolvers with wadcutters.

Long ago in an American Rifleman article about shooting knock-over steel targets, the advice was that greater bullet momentum was better for the purpose than higher kinetic energy*. Although it’s not the physicists’ way of measuring momentum, for simple comparison purposes, the Power Factor calculation works:

bullet weight × velocity ÷ 1000 = PF (the divide by 1000 is to produce a more usable figure)

The PF of a 125 grain bullet at 1350 feet per second is ~169.
The PF of a 230 grain bullet at 950 fps is ~218.

* Kinetic energy is a better predictor of wounding effects than momentum, but that’s not the question here.

In related physics, the force applied to an object is related to the change in the impacting object's momentum. The equation is generally stated as F = mass x acceleration, but originally it was given as F = delta momentum with respect to time.

Momentum is mass x velocity. This is essentially what power factor represents, albeit in non-standard units.

In collisions, the equations get a bit complicated, depending on the initial and final states of the moving objects. But, the mass of the objects and their velocities are the terms of the equations, and the initial and final momentums of both objects must be the same (conserved).

So, for these principles, the higher power factor is favored.

Thanks, 4MUL8R.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, Gentlemen. Lots of great info.

I will probably shoot half the match with the 1911 with a flat point 230, and the other with my .357 Sig.

All physics aside, you still need to aim and hold in a preferred spot, yes faster is better, but more recoil, heavier is better, but then there's that recoil thing again.

I would opt for a 200gr semi wad cutter.
Flat nose, to reduce penetration and transfer energy to the pin still heavy enough, but would offer less recoil.

These state they are minimum speed for major powerfactor, so they should be as slow as possible, again reduced recoil.

I'm not a recoil bitch, but I have shot enough to know that it is a significant factor in a day of precision shooting, and I would try to manage accordingly. It seems others in your group are managing it with comps so clearly it's worth noting and addressing. Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

https://wilsoncombat.com/45-ac...-l-swc-400-bulk.html

A buddy of mine asked me to pop his bowling pins once. I thought it was a good time to warm up a Desert Eagle in 50AE.

I offered him the first shot. The pin didn't last two. then we piled up some 2x6's and cinder blocks...

If you want to use the pins more than once, 50AE is not the caliber you are looking for.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
In related physics, the force applied to an object is related to the change in the impacting object's momentum. The equation is generally stated as F = mass x acceleration, but originally it was given as F = delta momentum with respect to time.

Momentum is mass x velocity. This is essentially what power factor represents, albeit in non-standard units.

In collisions, the equations get a bit complicated, depending on the initial and final states of the moving objects. But, the mass of the objects and their velocities are the terms of the equations, and the initial and final momentums of both objects must be the same (conserved).

So, for these principles, the higher power factor is favored.

I'm with him.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
A buddy of mine asked me to pop his bowling pins once. I thought it was a good time to warm up a Desert Eagle in 50AE.

I offered him the first shot. The pin didn't last two. then we piled up some 2x6's and cinder blocks...

If you want to use the pins more than once, 50AE is not the caliber you are looking for.

I'm with him too.

.38 super was talked about back in the 1900's.

I.i.r.c. ,those guys would reload 250 rounds a month.

Shooting your 357Sig round at the pins may be a waste of time, same with the 38Super.

The bullets will go right thru the pins and just tickle them on the way thru.

If you are lucky you may get them to topple over.

Ask me how I know.
Bob

Thanks Bob!